For decades, creative types have relied on the traditional portfolio to showcase past work. Although the physical print portfolio isn’t going away anytime soon, the digital age has introduced creatives to multiple online portfolio sites including Behance and CarbonMade as outlets to showcase work. More recently, business social media giant LinkedIn has introduced visual portfolio capabilities to supplement the traditional written resume. Read more of this post

It seems as though we’re always engaged in the print vs. digital debate. Usually, the argument shifts based on industry and demographics but, the reality is, forms of marketing communications have had to continuously adapt. Catalogs, once mainstays for retailers, are now few and far between. The companies who continue to produce them, however, have made an effort to gain widespread appeal. Read more of this post

For decades, there has been a stereotypical connection between coffee shops and creative types. Take Starbucks, for example – there will always be bustling business types scurrying out the door, but look closer and you may stumble upon the quiet writer in a corner nook, taking in the sites and sounds. Yes, the coffee itself can give anyone a little pick-me-up, but new research suggests that the mere sounds of a coffee shop are enough to drive creativity, something those quiet, creative types must have known all along.

Researchers at the University of Illinois conducted a study to measure the effect of noise level on creativity. Results indicated that 70 decibels of sound contributed to optimum levels of creativity. As it turns out, the slight hum and buzz of the average coffee shop is around 70 decibels, providing the perfect level of distraction to drive creative thinking. However, a quieter environment is better suited for tasks requiring a greater level of concentration such as working through math equations or carefully proofreading. Read more of this post